TKG Data and Analysis: A Weekly Recap
From a relatively slow holiday period, here is a roundup of recent posts, in case you missed any.
Where.com: GPS Is Trigger for Local-Mobile Social Portal
Local mobile portals make a lot of sense since most phones (even the iPhone 3G) don’t really lend themselves to much surfing. Another social/viral dimension is added through social networking enhancements via profile pages, Twitter and especially GPS. (read more…)
Egypt YP Goes Mobile
The Egypt Yellow Pages, operated by Dubai-based Al Wahda Express LLC, has launched an online/mobile mapping service. According to the announcement, users will be able to view local businesses on their mobile phones in either satellite or map view. (read more…)
GateHouse Sues Boston.com’s HyperLocal Site Over News Links
Hyperlocal sites aspire to grab headlines from everywhere and be a one-stop for the neighborhood. That’s been accepted practice, providing the site links back to the origination site, and too much copy isn’t exposed. It tends to build traffic for everyone. (read more…)
RHD in Beta With New IYP Platform
R.H. Donnelley has recently opened up the beta version of its new DexKnows IYP platform (the new search box is above right), known internally as DK2, which TKG previewed last week with Brian Barnum, president of RHDi, and Jeff Porter, VP & GM and the one charged with product development for DexKnows.com. (read more…)
New Classified Aggregators: iList and Bamboo Ad Net
The local media industry is so fragmented that it seems increasingly essential to aggregate local classifieds from a number of sources. Google Base and Oodle go a long way in this regard — the latter having recently signed Facebook and MySpace as partners for its growing network. But other classified aggregators are coming up the horizon, too. (read more…)
Move.com Alumni Launch Web 2.0 Coupons Site
Online coupons are getting more attention, and even adding mobile channels. But no single company has really broken through at the local level. They’re largely for national franchises. Longtime Move.com execs Adam Leff and David Bay clearly recognize the challenge, and the major opportunity in the local merchant space. Since February, they formed a company named Reach Pros and have been building BogoPod, a new online site. (read more…)
Yell.com Partners With U.K. Home Vertical
The U.K. online Yellow Pages directory Yell.com has announced a partnership with IdealHomeShow.co.uk, giving the home improvement and garden trade show Web site access to Yell.com’s local business listings in related headings. This agreement is a first for Yell.com, according to the company, and it appears to signal a new strategic direction toward syndicated Yell content into relevant partner sites in key vertical categories. (read more…)
Newspapers Going to Three Days a Week Delivery?
Increasingly, we’re seeing pressure on newspaper publishers to forgo seven-day delivery. The idea is they’d refocus on the development of profitable niche sites and the Thursday, Friday and Sunday editions packed with retail advertising. Under this concept, the other days in the week would have online access to daily replica e-editions and/or smaller print editions for newsstands, with no home delivery. (read more…)
Jivox Picks Up New Channel Partner
Local online video ad provider Jivox strengthened its ability to reach small-business video advertisers today by partnering with Examiner.com. The online news network will offer Jivox’s self-serve online video creation tool to its advertisers on a white-label basis. Jivox has been one of the online video success stories in building out a network of 600 local TV, radio station and newspaper sites that collectively reach 60 million monthly uniques. (read more…)
On-Device Application Stores: Palm Follows Suit
Palm has announced a new on-deck marketplace for mobile applications. This involves a partnership with app distributor PocketGear that lets it hit the ground running with 5,000 applications (about 1,000 are free). It has also received new submissions from about 1,500 application developers. Named Software Store, it will join Apple’s App Store, Google Android’s “Market” and the soon-to-be-launched BlackBerry Application Center. (read more…)
Omniture Brings Analytics to iPhone
Omniture has announced a new version of its SiteCatalyst analytics engine that’s designed specifically for iPhone apps. As iPhone penetration grows, data consumption will grow with it. The conversation will begin to shift from how many users have downloaded which applications to how they are using those applications. Depending on the application, there will be the opportunity to get more granular with clickthrough rates (display ads), click-to-call (local search), session lengths (mobile social apps), conversions (shopping search) and lots of other important data. (read more…)
